I Object
by mayprincess
Summary: It's a simple story. There's a wedding. Someone objects. A bit of craziness ensues. Fairly unoriginal, if you ask me...
1. Part 1

_I saw some sides for episode 10x12, and I thought of this. __So be warned, this is mildly spoilery.__ To be fair though, it's mostly what I would like to see happen, so you know, it won't happen at all. This is the first part. (I wasn't intending it to be two parts, but I'm tired and won't be finishing it tonight due to the amount of horrible grammar/spelling mistakes I make when tired.) I hope you fellow Japril fans enjoy it. __**Keep hope alive. **_

"I object."

A quiet gasp rippled through the audience as a sea of eyes turned to stare in his direction. Jackson took a deep breath, as panic started to set in. What was he doing, he wondered. This wasn't what he had meant to do. This wasn't what he had planned to do. It wasn't even what he wanted to do. But here he was, standing before God and everyone objecting to April Kepner's pending nuptials.

He took a step back, rephrasing, "Maybe I don't object." The sea of eyes starting searching for an explanation. "It's more of an interruption," he stammered, then huffed out, "I just need a minute, and then you can all get back to this."

The crowd began a less than quiet murmur, as a familiar face popped up from the crowd. "Jackson, baby, what are you doing?" his mother asked, beginning to leave Dr. Webber's side in the pew to approach her son.

He rolled his eyes — of course his crazy mother would be here for this. Shaking his head, Jackson waved her away, a wave that said "Not now Mom" in the loudest way possible. He turned his attention up the aisle to the redhead in an impossibly beautiful and almost heart-breaking white dress. "April, I need to speak to you," he said, his eyes catching hers. "Just…" he began, "just one moment."

Her eyes opened wide, the way they always did when she was shocked. She looked over to Matthew — his mouth beginning to set in a rigid frown. "Jackson," she eeked out, "this really isn't the best —" but Jackson stopped her — his eyes so piercing even from the back of the church.

"April, I need this." And she had already let go of Matthew's hands.

"I'll just be a minute," she said quietly just to Matthew right before turning her body towards the back of the church. "I promise." And as she walked down the aisle, she added to the crowd, "This'll just be a minute . Don't move." She turned to look at Matthew's confused and saddened face. "I promise," she repeated.

Her heels clicked with each step, the sounds seemingly accentuating her annoyance as she reached the back of the church. "Jackson," she said, her mouth smiling, but her jaw slowly grinding in that perturbed defiance Jackson usually found cute, "what are you doing?" Each word sounding like its own sentence.

"I'm…" When he left the hospital, he knew what he was doing. He was just going to see if the wedding hadn't started yet. Maybe he could catch her in the dressing room, talk for a minute, but just as always, April's plans were right on schedule. Here she was — already dressed in white and down the aisle — and what exactly was he doing, he began to wonder. Why was he here?

"Jackson," she demanded quietly again, looking around sheepishly at all the eyes on them.

"I'm giving you a reason." He said it without thinking. It was the first thought in his head.

"What?" she asked, looking around again, and finally pushing him through the church's doors so those eyes would stop gawking.

He stumbled backwards, but stayed resolute as the doors closed behind them. "A reason," he repeated. "I'm giving you a reason not to marry Matthew." It sounded so good in his head, but the look on April's face was starting to make him regret his words.

"Jackson, no," she said, shaking her head, her eyes firmly planted on the ground, anywhere but him. Then, finally, she looked up. "It's too late," she said, playing with the ring on her left hand. "I made a commitment. I'm in the dress. We're in a church. It's too late." Her voice was strained and getting higher.

"I know that," he breathed forcefully, still keeping his voice down in case anyone had their ear to the door. That seemed like something someone would do, most likely his mother. "You don't think I know that?"

"Then, I'm confused," she said, her voice raising a little, clearly not as concerned as he was at the possibility of eavesdroppers. "What are you doing here with your objection or interruption or whatever you're doing?"

They stood there for a moment. Her eyes searching. His brain searching. "I lost my patient today," he finally said.

At that, her eyes softened, and for a moment she went from 'what the hell are you doing' April to 'concerned, I'm your friend' April. "I'm so sorry, Jackson," she began. Then she stopped. She exhaled a deep breath and her tone changed again, "I'm so sorry, but this isn't really the time or the place. I need to get back to—"

"He said something before his surgery," Jackson interrupted. "My patient said that if you need to say something, say it even if it won't change anything because you may not get the chance later. And that made me think of Mark."

"Jackson, people are waiting," she said, her voice halfway between anxious and exasperated. "I know you loved Mark, but this really isn't—"

And that's when he realized that if he was going to do this, he wasn't going to be able to allow her to interrupt him with logic. Logic like 'I'm getting married right now' or 'People are waiting' or 'You have the worse timing ever' so he trudged ahead, talking right over her. "Before Mark died, he told me that if you love someone, you tell them. Even if you're scared, you tell them. Even if it will cause problems, even if it would burn your life to the ground." He took a step towards her. "And you know what, I was going to, or at least begin the conversation, but when I showed up at Joe's, you're weren't there." He looked up at her. "You broke my heart, April, when you weren't there," and her breath hitched in her throat. "I thought that I would just get over it, that I would just get over you, but then you came back from Moline and I couldn't stay away from you." He smiled, and laughed a small laugh, until it turned sad. "But then you broke my heart again."

This time, April took a step closer. "Jackson, I didn't—"

"No," he said, continuing to talk over her. "No, April, I just need to say this, even if it doesn't change anything, I need to say this." He was close enough know that he could reach for her hand, and for a moment he thought he shouldn't out of propriety. She was engaged to another man after all, but given the situation, he threw etiquette out the window.

Her hand was small and soft, just has he remembered, and he relished in the small sound that escaped her throat when he first touched her. He looked into her eyes, probably for the first time in a long time and said, "I know Matthew's perfect. Trust me, I know. And I know you can picture the white fence and the beautiful children and family Christmases at church, but I love you." He squeezed her hand, and he thought his saw the formation of a tear in her eye. He wasn't really sure what that meant, so he just kept going. "I keep trying not to, but I love you. No matter what I do, I love you, and if there's even a small part of you that really wanted a reason a few months ago, please don't marry him." He hated his desperation, but at least he was being honest. It felt good to be honest. "If there's just a tiny part of you that wondered today what life would be like if this was us," he continued, "in a field," he smiled, "with butterflies," his voice was breaking, but he didn't dare stop, "then don't marry him." He pulled her towards his, wrapping his arms around her small frame. His lips close to her hair. "Please, just don't marry him," he pleaded.


	2. Part 2

_Meh. This hasn't turned out quite as good as it did in my head before creating it. I like the first part better. I'm finding April difficult to write. She never knows what she wants -or- she can't admit what she wants -or- she's infuriatingly denying what she wants for some greater God plan or something. She's just so erratic__, ya know? Jackson's calm, do-nothing attitude is just so much easier to get my head around. Anyway, I'm done laboring over this. There's one more part. It'll be happy. (I tell you this because as a Grey's fan, you can never expect happiness. At least in fanfiction, you should get a guarantee that your heart won't be destroyed, right?) I really appreciate the comments. Honestly, they mean the world to me._

* * *

_Please, just don't marry him._ The words swirled in her head, as April tried to remember a time when Jackson had ever asked anything of her. In their relationship, he never pushed. He never asked. He never forced her to define their connection. They just existed together.

And then they didn't.

And it hurt. And she had missed him so much. And she had wanted him so much. But she moved on, and Matthew was so perfect.

Her body shuddered in Jackson's arms as she physically resisted melting into his embrace, and she knew she was near tears. She pulled his head away from his chest, and looking at him, she swore she was going to say yes. She would say yes to anything he wanted when he was looking at her with so much need in his eyes. She always said yes in these moments with him, when all she could feel was her weighted breath getting heavier the closer he drew.

His hand rested on her waist, and it was one of those moments when only a millisecond lie between his mouth and hers, when "I can't" slipped from her own.

She pulled away sharply, shaking her head and rolling her eyes to keep the pooling tears from ruining her face. "It's too late," she said numbly stumbling backwards and trying futilely to steady her breath. "I made a promise. I can't keep breaking my promises because of..." she trailed off, not really daring to look at him. "Because I..." She couldn't really complete the thought. "I can't keep breaking promises," she finished.

He shook his head up and down, jamming his hands into his pockets and setting his mouth in a sad, painful smile. "No, we wouldn't want that." It was a bitter tone that he quickly amended. "I'm sorry, April. I shouldn't have done this. I didn't want to ruin this. I just needed to say it."

Still numb, she said, "I need to get back." The words seeming foreign as they exited her mouth.

"Yeah, ok," he muttered. "Just tell him I'm sorry." She watched as he turned to leave, and she steeled herself inside to go back into the church.

"What was that?" Matthew asked the minute she entered the doors. He had made his way down the aisle, but clearly, being probably the best human ever, had wanted her to have her privacy and had stayed clear of the doors.

"Nothing," she said, trying to ignore how completely crazy it all had to seem.

"Are you crying?" Matthew whispered, grasping both of her hands and pulling her towards him and away from the stunned gossiping eyes in the church.

"I always cry at weddings," she said smiling, tugging him down the aisle.

"April..." he cautioned, not being tugged so easily.

"It was nothing," she reassured him and maybe herself. "He just lost a patient." She elaborated, "He needed to talk. It was nothing."

"April..." he counseled again, still not letting himself be drug down the aisle just yet.

She pushed the stray hair from her face, lightening up and smiling. "Matthew, I can say without a doubt in my heart that this is exactly what I have always dreamed of when I envisioned this day." And that was the honest to God truth. She squeezed his hands. "You are exactly what I have always dreamed of." He smiled in return. "Now, let's get this show on the road!"

A few small laughs and claps erupted from the audience.

She caught her breath when the Pastor began to speak, always finding solace in God's words. When he began to say, "We are gathered here today in the face of this company, to join together..." she actually felt excited. Her parents were so happy. Matthew was so happy even after that hiccup. Her sisters looked so happy.

Matthew said, "I do" without hesitation, and she felt ready. Ready for this day. Ready to be someone's wife. Ready to make this promise.

She listened intently to the Pastor's question soaking in the last words of a single woman. Her lips curved happily while looking over at Matthew's smiling face. His light beaming towards her, casting her in a beautiful shade of love, and she knew that this was the right decision - it was the right promise to keep. She took Matthew's hands in her hands, and she took a small moment to smile again when "I don't" fell from her lips.

She felt more stunned than the audience.

She shook her head, trying to reset. "I mean, I do. I do."

Matthew let go of her hands and stepped back. His eyes flashing hurt. Resignation. Enough was enough, right?

But somehow, she didn't get the clue. "I do," she repeated. Pleaded, really. Anything to make that horrible look in his eyes disappear.

The silence in the room was deafening. Horrifyingly deafening - leaving her alone with only her thoughts as they twisted and bounced around her head with no sound to anchor them. Words just started to tumble out. "I wanted to. I wanted this so badly. You're so perfect. You're what I dreamed of when I was little, and I imagined my future. You're everything I've ever wanted."

"Apparently, not everything," Matthew interrupted sadly.

"I'm so sorry. I -" But enough was enough. He turned away and stormed from the church. She was left standing alone, so many eyes glued to her, waiting for her to crumble. In her times of need, April Kepner had always turned to God. God and one other person, and right now she needed that one other person. "I'm so sorry," she said one more time, this time for the audience, as she ran down the aisle disappearing behind the doors.

She vaguely recalled Cristina hooting something like, "Who would have guessed Kepner had it in her to be so scandalous."

Followed by Karev's, "It's always the unassuming ones."


	3. Part 3

_So, this concludes my story. Rereading it, all I can think of is that little girl screaming, "FLUFFY!" I hope you like it. I apologize for all my little word and grammar mistakes I miss because I'm a terrible editor, but I don't apologize for the fluffy ending. __**Here's to the happy endings Grey's refuses us on a weekly basis!**__ (But that's ok. I'm an idiot who keeps believing there's still Japril hope…)_

* * *

"So let me get this straight," Catherine Avery said taking a sip of some liquor and fruit concoction, "you and April were sleeping together last year and no one had the decency to inform me? Richard is never going to hear the end of this."

Jackson rolled his eyes, finishing his beer and signaling the bartender for another. "You know what? I just embarrassed myself in front of practically every single person I work with, and I did it for practically no reason at all. I feel like crap. I want to literally, like literally, crawl into a hole and never come out, but yes, that was the most important part of that story. I'm so sorry no one informed you that April and I sort of dated a year ago."

Disgusted, Jackson stood with his fresh beer and made his way to an empty table, hoping his mother wouldn't follow. No luck there, as she tut-tutted in his direction. "You know," he said, his irritation level rising, "I came to Joe's to drink myself into a stupor, not to have a chat with my mom about my love life."

"Sounds like more of a lack of love life, honey."

"Thanks Mom. You are always so supportive."

"Sweetie," she began, placing her hand gently on his arm, "what did you want to happen?"

"I don't know, Mom," he said, staring into his dark amber beer. "I guess I…" Finding words at times like these was always so hard for him. "I guess I wanted to tell her how I felt so I wouldn't regret it later." But that wasn't really it. "I wanted her to know without a doubt so that maybe…"

"Maybe what?" she asked gently.

He glanced up, a look on his face that would break any mother's heart. "Maybe she would choose me," he sighed. "I guess I just wanted to give her the chance to choose me."

"Baby, I think you might just have that chance," Catherine said, pointing her drink in the direction of the door.

April Kepner, full on white wedding dress, red hair swept up with just a few strands falling out of place, cheeks flushed from…running, Jackson didn't know, stood at the door. Eyes turned to stare, something she was probably accustomed to today.

"I'm going to get going, Jackson," Catherine said standing up and kissing her son on the forehead. "I have a feeling that wedding I left Richard at has ended."

Jackson didn't say anything in response, his eyes still locked on April. "I'll send some drinks over before I leave." She made a quick stop at the bar, then turned towards April.

Jackson watched as they had a short exchange, not able to hear their words. Catherine gave April a quick embrace before leaving, and Jackson watched as April made her way over to him.

"This seat taken?" she asked awkwardly. She sat down before he could respond, and began to prattle away. "You know, these shoes were not made for running. Luckily, I caught a cab pretty quickly after I left the church, but I'm fairly certain this heel is going to —"

"April," his voice cut into her words. "Stop talking about your shoes." Usually, he found the rambling somewhat adorable, but not now. Not in this moment when he was half-drunk and half-certain that something important was about to happen.

She took a deep breath and started slowly, "Back at the church, I was going to say that I can't keep breaking my promises because of how I feel about you."

"What?" He was confused.

"I can't keep breaking my promises because of how strongly I feel about you," she repeated, laughing humorlessly to herself. "That's actually what I was going to say to you in the church. How stupid am I? I was thinking that. Then, I was going to turn around and make a promise before God to someone else knowing how I feel about you."

A bartender walked over, trying her hardest to discretely place a drink order on their table. "These are compliments from your mother."

They both stared quietly at the drinks as if they were uninvited guests.

"April, what are you doing here?" Jackson finally snapped.

She looked up at him and then back to the order. "Getting a drink," she finally settled on, downing the shot in front of her. "And more importantly, meeting you," she said, reaching for his hand across the table. "Doing what I should have done over a year ago, but I was too scared," she said squeezing his hand tightly. "I was too scared of how I felt when I was with you, Jackson. It was like I was out of control, like I was so far from God's plan that I couldn't follow it, but I was just being stupid. So stupid, because…" she said, leaning in towards him. "Because you are the plan."

"I'm what?" he asked, convinced the third beer he had downed quickly was playing tricks on him.

"You've been the plan all along, and I was just too stupid to see it."

April was doing that thing she did sometimes where she spoke more to herself than to him, like she was just realizing her words and needed to inform even herself. At that moment though, he needed more clarity than that. "April, I've had a couple of drinks," he confessed, "and you're usually hard to follow." It was true. They both knew that. "Just…what are you saying?" he finished.

"I'm saying I love you, Jackson." He was amazed at how easily she said it. She so rarely said anything easily. "I'm in love with you," she added freely. "And I'm so sorry."

"Sorry? You're sorry? For what?"

"For being so stupid."

He laughed — the first real feeling of joy since this whole day began emitting from his whole body. "Stupid's maybe a little harsh," he said.

She cocked her head to the side, giving one of her classic 'are you serious' looks. "I had to be held back from running into a burning bus for you, and I still couldn't really see it."

He stood up, pulling her up too. "Yeah, that is sort of stupid," he said, smiling into her forehead as he brushed his lips against her hair.

"So, so stupid," she repeated into her chest.

He pulled away for a minute, capturing her eyes with his. "So, to be clear, you're choosing me in this situation, right?"

"Yes," said, shaking her head up and down, "I am choosing you."

"And you won't be blaming me for ruining your relationship with Matthew."

"I'll probably blame you for that."

"That's fair," he said, eyeing her mouth. "What about Jesus?"

"Huh?" she asked, clearly distracted by his mouth as well. "What about Jesus?"

"Are we still disappointing Jesus?" he asked in a playful tone, but most of him meant it.

She smiled a devilish grin and responded, "Not if you marry me."

"Well, that is something to consider," he said, his arms around her, pulling her closer.

"You'd consider that?" she asked teasingly.

And in all seriousness, he responded, "I wouldn't want to disappoint, Jesus." She smacked him lightly. "I'm being serious," he continued. "Jesus is very, very important to me, but we have a problem."

"Oh," April said, "we do?"

"Yeah, butterflies are so hard to find this time of year." Jackson traced April's lip with his finger. "I want you to have it all — the butterflies, the field, those stupid mints you used to talk about when we were interns." He kissed her chastely on the lips.

"Jackson," she said, placing her hand on her cheek, "I already have it all. Now shut up and kiss me for real."

"Yes, ma'am," he complied, crashing his mouth into hers and lifting her off of her feet — thinking to himself maybe he should object more often in life. Then, as she kissed him in return, not thinking much at all.


End file.
